By Eleanor Wilson
Family Violence Prevention Minister Gabrielle Williams last week announced Casey Council as one of 15 recipients of a $3.5 million funding package to deliver prevention strategies to stop the cycle of family violence.
Ms Williams joined Member for Narre Warren South, Mr Gary Maas MP, City of Casey chair of administrators Noelene Duff PSM, City of Casey chief executive officer Glenn Patterson, along with Council officers and community representatives at Bunjil Place to make the announcement.
City of Casey will receive $212,500 of the funding package to support programs soon to be released through Council’s Gender Equality and Prevention of Violence Against Women 10-Year Strategic Plan – ‘A Safe and Equal Casey’.
The plan, which is due to be released in July, will include contributions to innovative prevention programs in partnership with Council’s key partners: Women’s Health in the South East (WHISE) and Jesuit Social Services The Man Box Program (JSS).
Ms Duff said the council is looking forward to partnering with the groups, as well as the Gender Equality Taskforce, comprised of Casey residents who have significantly contributed to Council’s prevention programs.
“Council has committed to implementing a ten-year plan towards gender equality and the prevention of violence against women, recognising that transformational social change requires long-term commitment and action,” she said.
“Not only are we challenging deeply embedded beliefs, we are also working to change the systems, structures, policies and institutions that reinforce gender inequality.”
Casey joins Brimbank, Bass Coast, City of Casey, Greater Bendigo, Hume, Mildura, Melbourne, Monash, Melton, Maroondah, Mitchell, Murrindindi, Northern Grampians, Wangaratta and Yarra Ranges councils as successful funding recipients.
“It’s wonderful to see councils like Casey pour their efforts into the prevention of family and violence against women more broadly, to be committed to gender equality, which we know is a key factor around stopping violence before it starts,” Ms Williams said.
“We know that [prevention] is the area that is ultimately going to deliver our goal to end family violence for good, it is only through prevention that we can get there.”
